Just had the worst job interview ever. Anyone else care to share?

I am used to initiating meeting with new clients and thought I had prepared well. I was so nervous, I had to keep drinking water to stop my lips from sticking to my teeth. It was all I could think about. None of the answers I prepared were useful. I need to rewind and do over because I have better answers now (after the nick of time).

I'm sure I can beat that though. In my younger, less organised days I had an interview at a charity. The role was assisting a deaf man in organising events. It looked like a great role.

Two women interviewed me. They asked - 'what do you think this job involves?'

I chatted on about the deaf man.

Turns out, it wasn't a deaf man - but a blind woman, who was one of the interviewers. The rest of the interview passed in a blur, I was just desperately biding my time before I could leave the room, and we all knew it.

I thought the interview was just past the introduction stage and it was over. I must have looked like this when they closed the interview and shook my hand.

Shaking hands and a mouth full of chalk. BAH! The more nervous I got, the more it became the elephant in the room. I forgot a question halfway through answering it and had to ask for it to be repeated.

"I forgot a question halfway through answering it and had to ask for it to be repeated."

I wouldn't worry about that! I went for an interview recently where they said "Please just ask if you want us to repeat a question, as we appreciate that interview nerves mean people don't always take the whole question in first time." I did ask them to repeat one question. I got the job.

Ooh I had a similar experience a few months ago. It was horrific. I got tipped off about the job the day before the closing date, rushed to put an application in and had an invite to attend an interview just a few days after. They wanted to see a presentation, so I focused on that. Had to drive 50 miles to attend, hand my small DCs over to my DF in a carpark, changed the worlds shittiest nappy in all my finery. Arrived on time, flustered and they then kept my waiting for half hour. Cold and unsmiling panel put me on edge, I presented well and then came the questions. I was shit. Several questions I had to say 'I don't know' to, whilst I slowly sweated myself to death and my mouth sealed up. Was out in 20 mins.Unfortunately, it was with an organisation I worked closely with. The shame. Soon after that I gave up my job....Mortifying.

The worst interview was when I was asked a question but missed a vital word which changed the whole meaning of the question.

I started answering the question I had heard and it was clear form the interviewers faces I wasn't on the right track and they were looking more and perturbed as I waffled on desperately trying to work out where I was going wrong...

They went to the next question which was sort of a follow on at which moment the penny dropped as to what had actually been said in the first question! i then had to explain my initial mistake, reanswer the first question in light of new info and then carry on. I just wanted to walk out and come back another day!!!

I did get the job (it was a large intake!!!) but I still cringe even now.

Not so much the interview. I'd had a nice relaxing bath with oils in before hand, and as I walked out, my hold up stockings slipped to my knees!

Luckily enough the male Finance director didn't notice and the very nice HR person who did, dragged me straight into the loo! She laughed and said well thats a unique approach to get noticed! Didnt hold it against me and I got the job.

I had an interview once where the woman spoke in the most outrageous management speak to the point that I couldn't understand what she meant at all. I'd worked in offices for about ten years at the time, done lots of temping and was quite up on management speak or so I thought. It flustered me so much that I left in tears! (I was feeling pretty down at the time anyway). I was so well suited for the job as well, I would have been great at it. She was saying stuff like 'Given blah blah blah, how would you manage expectations whilst limiting blah blah blah' and what she meant was how would you deliver bad news. That is the only one I can half remember and doesn't sound so bad on its own. I was mortified for weeks afterwards! That agency didn't contact me with any other interviews..

Oh I have form.When I was younger I went for a promotion interview. It was very formal, panel of three in a city 100 miles away. I struggled to remember my own name. Tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth, I don't think I answered a single question.The following year I went back, went to the pub first and drank vodka. I nailed it.

Job description I was perfect for, in city I really wanted to be in, organisation ditto. Travelled 3 hours to interview. Receptionist:Hello! I hope you don't really want this job - they're going to give it to the internal candidate but HR said they had to advertise...Glad she gave me the heads-up as the interviewer was as obnoxious as humanly possible.

The one where I went to the loo beforehand and couldn't do my trousers up after was cringemaking too, as I was holding them together with one hand all the way through! Also felt like death, thinking I had flu. They gave me the job anyway as the other candidate was totally crap - got an email saying "The job's yours but you need to work on interview technique!"! Found out the day after I was four months pregnant rather than just got fat.

Got interview later this week and after dc2 I don't have any suits that fit now either...

I've had some great interviews. In one, for a position at a legal firm, I was asked 'why would someone with a Chemistry degree decide to study law?' I started to answer, and really I think I was doing ok. 'Bit odd' I thought 'but not that hard'. Then interviewer said 'so why did you, with your Chemistry degree, decide to study law post-grad?'. I have a Sociology degree, it is a BSc though, so I think that's what confused them.Second one, again a law firm - being interviewed by the owner, an old-school Criminal lawyer, well known in the Mags Court for thinking he's a Big Fish. He asked me 'so, you're of the age when women start dropping sprogs. Got any plans to do that?' I'd had a miscarriage about 3 weeks before, which I thought at the time was my only chance at 'dropping a sprog', so that question wasn't really that welcome. I did a death stare, he blustered 'I'm not supposed to ask that, am I? I don't even care'. Idiot.And finally, I had an interview a few weeks ago, which was so appalling (from both the point of view of the interviewer and me!) that when I came out and a member of staff said 'how did that go? I couldn't help but reply 'it was really awful'! Got asked what steps could be taken to improve cultural diversity (this is for an admin job!). I blagged a bit, gave maybe 4 things they could do. Interviewer said 'can you think of anything else?' I said 'can you repeat the question?' She said 'can you think of anything else?'. I had to laugh.Got the job though . The other candidates must have been shocking!

If you really want the job, I would e mail the company and say that you feel that you let yourself down due to interview nerves and that you still would really like the job and would love another opportunity to prove yourself. I would append proper answers to the questions where you feel that you let yourself down and ask for another opportunity to interview.

notcitrous Many years ago I also had an interview where I was just invited in to make up the numbers.

Found out ahead of the interview thye had planned on giving the job to someone else but had to advertise.

So I went through the interview, which was strange as they obviously weren't interested in my answers, and when we got to the any questions it at the end, I actually asked why they thought it was acceptable to call me in for an interview and waste my time when they were going to give the job internally anyway, especially as I was then unemployed and didn't have money to waste on unnecessary journeys.

I hadn't planned on saying anything, it just came out. On the plus side, I embarrassed them so much they gave me expenses in cash on the spot. I have not applied for any further jobs with them in all these years, as my name is distinctive and I don't want a re-run.